Deskulling method and device

ABSTRACT

A ram device is adapted for attachment to a conventional moving carriage, such as of a scrap charger, has a frame for securing it in a projecting relation therefrom, and has an impact tool head projecting therefrom and adapted to thrust against, break, peel or pull-away solidified material, such as skull, from a mouth or other portion of a vessel, such as a BOF furnace. The tool is motor driven to reciprocate on a platform structure of the frame and is adapted for movement on or about the mouth area from which adhering skull or solidified material such as slag is removed. Thrust-absorbing means is carried by the frame to take up end thrust generated by the operation of the tool to enable its direct absorption independently of and in such a manner to minimize thrust force exerted on the carriage.

United States Patent FOREIGN PATENTS [72] Inventors Harry T. Montgomery;

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ABSTRACT: A ram device is adapted for attachment to a [54] DESKULLING METHOD AND DEVICE conventional moving carriage, such as of a scrap charger, has

a frame for securing it in a projecting relation therefrom, and has an impact tool head projecting therefrom and ada thrust against, break, peel or pull 10 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

m m m d 0 68 m tt e u Pa m k m em 0 g d r e .m m m we h m ad 0 ta S D. y a W a such as skull, from a mouth or other portion of a vessel, such as a BOF furnace. The tool is motor driven to rec platform structure of the frame and is: ada

on or about the mouth area from whic [56] Rderences Cited solidified material such as slag is removed. Thrust-absorbing UNITED STATES PATENTS :252:53 2/1966 OBrien........................

means is carried by the frame to take up end thrust by the operation of the tool to enable its direct abs dependently of and in such a manner to minimize exerted on the carriage.

thrust force PATENIEDnEcmsn 31521291 SHEET 2 0F 3 ,N/ INVENTOR HARRY T. MONT ME HOWARD M. H

H/S ATTORNEYS DESIKUULING MIE'II-IIOID AMI DEVICE The invention relates to improved procedure and apparatus for removing adhering solidified materials, such as so-called skull, from a metal processing vessel such as a BOF furnace or a ladle and, particularly, to an improved approach to the removal of solid adhering material from a vessel and the like. A phase of the invention relates to an improved ram device or construction that is carriage mounted for servicing a vessel. 7 There has long been a need for a more effective and efficient approach to the removal of solid materials from a furnace vessel and particularly, for removing so-called skull, such as produced and built up on and about a lip or an open mouth portion of a vessel that is being used for the melting and refining or processing of molten metal. Such a buildup is caused by foaming during a blowing operation, by charging of hot metal into the vessel, by slag pouring, etc. The buildup will, in time, reduce the size of furnace openings and immediate steps must be taken to remove it. Such removal has to date been a costly, time-consuming and troublesome operation. It has to be periodically performed, since the buildup creates scrap charging problems and, in extreme cases, may cause a sticking and seizure of the scrap charging box with respect to the furnace. Also, excessive buildup, if left on a furnace nose, will cause premature and permanent deformation of the vessel nose cone, decrease the life span of the vessel section and require excessive, frequent replacement of nose rings.

Methods and apparatus heretofore employed to remove such a buildup in furnace shops have been slipshod, and the result has been to frequently damage equipment or the vessel, itself. One method has been to employ some heavy, swinging object, such as a ladle, billet, ingot, magnet or even a scrap box, in an attempt to impact dislodge or knock off the solidified material. A second approach has been to endeavor to provide means built into a stationary mounting, such as on the charging floor, which will serve as a ripping or tearing obstruction when the mouth of the vessel is rotated into or towards it. This tends to damage the vessel mounting, its gear drive mechanism, and to deform structural members of the building; it is crudely ineffective. A third method has been to employ a portable crane having a ram that is used to pry off the build up. All of these approaches and others would have been slow, costly, frustrating and impractical. None enable the accomplishment of an efficient, complete deskulling operatron.

It has thus been an object of the invention to fully evaluate the factors involved in a deskulling operation and to develop a new and practical approach thereto that will eliminate the need for the previously employed makeshift methods;

Another object of the invention has beento devise new and improved procedure for fully and efficiently removing solidified material on or about a furnace mouth, nose or openmg;

Another object has been to provide an efficient, efi'ective, inexpensive and practical approach to the removal of skull or other solidified material from a heavy vessel such as a furnace;

A further object of the invention has been to develop a ram device that is adaptable for secure mounting and carrying on an existing movable piece of equipment, such as a scrap carriage or car, which can be utilized with such a carriage without damage thereto, and in such a manner as to conserve plant working space and simplify apparatus requirements for a deskulling operation;

A further object has been to provide a ram device having platform-mounted motor and reciprocating tool means that can be utilized in such a manner as to minimize thrust imparted from it to a supporting wheeled vehicle or carriage on which it is mounted and which may be actuated in such a manner and throughout a desired area to accomplish an efficient and full deskulling operation;

A still further object of the invention has been to provide a reciprocating ram device that, in its forward stroke, is adapted to impact-break and peel the solidified material and, in its reverse or return stroke, is adapted to pull-drag the solidified material away from the surface to which it is adhering, that has a rigid, secure mounting on a wheeled vehicle, that provides for swinging or pivotal movement of the tool to cover an entire surface area which is to be cleaned, and that is adjustable as to its speed of operation and, finally, that has means for absorbing thrust imparted by the operation and tool and imparting it directly to a stationary means, such as a shop floor, to minimize thrust transfer to the wheeled vehicle;

These and other objects will appear to those skilled in the art from the illustrated embodiments and the claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 11 is an end perspective view in elevation illustrating one form of impact apparatus construction of the invention and illustrating how it may be mounted on a wheeled carriage and utilized to remove skull from a mouth portion of a tiltable or trunnion-mounted metal processing vessel;

FIG. IA is a side fragmental section in elevation and is somewhat diagrammatic to illustrate how a tool of the device is utilized in removing solidified material such as skull from the nose or mouth of a vessel; this view is on a slightly smaller scale than FIG. 11;

FIG. 2 is a view on the scale of and similar to FIG. I but illustrating a modified and preferred embodiment of the invention and illustrating how the tool part thereof may be moved or swung by the mechanism of the device to cover transverse and vertical areas;

FIG. 2A is a vertical fragment in section illustrating a typical wraparound formation of adherent solidified material such as slag about a nose cone of a refractory lined furnace vessel before any of such material has been removed;

FIG. 3 is a side view in elevation on. the same scale as and of the device illustrated in FIG. 2; dot and dash lines are employed to show vertically swingable positions to which the tool head may be swung during a cleaning or removing operation;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a forward chisellike end portion of a representative tool element that may be used with the device illustrated in FIGS. ll, 2 and 3; this figure is slightly enlarged with respect to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmental side view elevation on the scale of FIG. 4, illustrating in full lines the tool end construction of FIG. 4 and in dot and dash lines the construction of a modified head, such as illustrated in the tool element of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a top plan fragment on the scale of FIGS. I and 5, illustrating another form of chisel tool head; this view also shows how a tool element may be adjustably and removably connected to or mounted to extend forwardly from a tool bit or holder;

FIG. '7 is a side view in elevation on the scale of and of the tool construction of FIG. 6;

FIG. is a right-hand end view of the tool head of FIGS. 6 and 7, taken from its front end and on the same scale as such F IGS.; and

FIG. 9 is a cross'sectional view on the scale-of and taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

In meeting the problem, it was determined that a ram device should be provided that will be relatively inexpensive and simple in its own construction, but that can be carried as a part of existing equipment without causing damage to it and, in such a manner as to give the device a heavy backing support as well as mobility. In the illustrated embodiments, a ram device of the invention is shown secured to project forwardly or from the end of a wheeled vehicle or carriage A of a heavy piece of equipment, such as a conventional scrap charger, and in such a manner as to enable a power source, such as pressure fluid or electrical energy of the vehicle, to be utilized in operating or energizing the ram device, itself. Two embodiments of the device in accordance with the invention are illustrated, one B of which is shown as mechanically operated and the other B of which is shown as fluid or hydraulically operated. Both devices have a frame construction I5 which is adapted to be securely mounted to project from one end of the carriage A of the scrap car or other wheeled vehicle and support a platform structure having tables on which actuating motor means is mounted for reciprocating a tool element or head G.

The platform in the embodiment of FIG. 1 is shown provided with a lower or base table and an upwardly spaced table that is vertically swingably positioned on or carried by the base table for enabling effective up and down movement of the tool G along a mouth portion of a furnace vessel C being cleaned. To move the tool G horizontally to cover transverse reaches or areas of solidified material or skull I), wheeled vehicle, car or carriage A is moved along its pair of track rails F. In the second or preferred embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, the carriage A may be employed to move ram device or apparatus B into central alignment horizontally with the vessel mouth (see FIG. 2), but full movement of the tool G along the mouth of the vessel C can thereafter be accomplished without again moving the carriage A. In the second embodiment, the platform has a base table 20, an intermediate table 70, and an upper table 25'. Intermediate table 70 is vertically swingably mounted on the base table 20 and upper table 25' is horizontally swingably mounted on the intermediate table 70.

Although a ram device of the invention has been devised particularly to meet the problem of deskulling the charging mouth portion of a trunnion-mounted, tiltable furnace vessel or ladle (for example, see the BOP vessels shown in Lakin et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,207,002), it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the device may also be effectively used in other vessel maintenance operations, such as in removing an old refractory lining from within the vessel, in opening a tap hole which has been at least partially clogged or plugged by solidified material, or in loosening and removing bolts employed for securing a nose flange or ring in place. It will be appreciated that the use of electrical or hydraulic motor means or actuating cylinders is interchangeable with reference to the two embodiments and with reference to the various actuations required for each of them. Speed control for too] reciprocation may be provided either by the actuating motor which is operatively connected to reciprocate the tool part, or if a gear mechanism is provided, a conventional type having its own speed control may be used. This will enable the speed of forward, skull-impacting and peeling and backward or return skull-pulling, breaking-off reciprocating movements of the tool G to be varied in accordance with requirements, not only initially but throughout the entire operation of completely removing adherent solidified material from the vessel. A reciprocating fluid motor may also be used to deliver a slower forward, impacting stroke and a faster return stroke or vice versa.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 8, various shapes and types of tool heads or operating ends may be utilized, but a chisellike type is preferably employed that will give a sharp, concentrated impact-breaking, peeling-off action on the forward power stroke of the tool G and that will tend to rake, pull or break away the solidified material on a return power stroke. Although not specifically shown, tool holder 42 or 55 or bit part or tool element G or both may, if required or desired, be provided with inner wall jacketing. Aligned-connecting fluid passageways may be employed if both the tool G and its holder 42 or 55 are jacketed. Either a back end portion of the holder 42 or 55 (if both the holder and tool are jacketed) or a back end portion of the tool G if it is only jacketed, may be connected with flexible inlet and outlet piping for circulation of cooling fluid such as water therethrough. Jacketing may be used where the cleaning operations are to be accomplished on vessels that have relatively high retained temperatures.

A ram device of the invention is flexible enough that it will meet all exigencies or requirements of a particular cleaning operation. That is, the use of swing mounting means for the upper supporting table on which the tool G reciprocates, enables it to be impacted into the solidified material in one angular direction and to be withdrawn or back-stroked in a different angular direction. Also, its speed may be adjusted as previously explained.

Where a conventional trunnion-mounted furnace vessel C, such as a BOF vessel having a relatively large diameter of open mouth portion, is to be deskulled, the cleaning operation may be accomplished by tilting the furnace to a substantially horizontal position in which the lower half of its mouth portion is substantially centered with respect to the forward operating end of the tool G (see FIG. 2). At this time, the tool may then be actuated or stroked and moved about the lower half portion to clean it off. At the completion of the cleaning of the lower half, the vessel C may be tilted further downwardly until its upper half is in somewhat centered alignment with the forward, working end or head of the tool G. At this time, the stroking action and the movement of the tool may be effected to complete the cleaning operation. At the end of the cleaning operation, the vessel C may be turned or rotated on its trunnions to an upper operating position. It will be apparent that the operation may be reversed to clean the upper half of the furnace first and the lower half last.

Referring particularly to FIGS. I and 1A, device B of the invention is shown secured to project forwardly from a conventional wheeled vehicle, such as scrap charging carriage A, by means of an upright frame structure 15 of the device. The frame 15 carries an upwardly projecting platform structure whose lower supported base table 20 is secured to the frame in a reinforced manner by a pair of end-mounted angle-shaped reinforcing pieces 21. The base table 20 has a clevis or pair or upwardly projecting mounting ears 22 to pivotally receive a downwardly projecting pivot lug or tongue portion 25a of upwardly spaced table 25. It will be noted that the upper table 25 is mounted in such a manner as to freely pivot at its ends in front of and between the reinforcing pieces 21. Vertical tilting or pivotal movement of the upper table 25 may be accomplished by a lift or jack unit 30 that is mounted on an extending shelf part or member 25b of the upper table 25. The jack unit 30 is shown provided with a reversible electric motor 31, and a worm and gear drive 32 whose worm meshes with an upwardly extending jack screw 33. The upper end of the jack screw 33 is adapted to be secured to a forwardly projecting angle-shaped abutment 15a that extends integrally from the frame 15.

It will thus be apparent that actuation of the motor 31 as, for example, accomplished in a clockwise or up-raising direction by pushing in electrical switch button a of control panel 47 may be employed to extend the jackscrew 33 upwardly to lower the back end of the table 25 and raise the front end thereof. On the other hand, a pushing in of electrical switch button b may be accomplished to actuate the motor 31 in a reverse or counterclockwise direction to thus cause the back end of the table 25 to be r'aised and the front end to be lowered. Control panel 47 which carries the switches a and b also carries a third electrical switch 0 for effecting actuation of an electric drive motor 36 that is employed to actuate the tool G.

The drive motor 36 is shown mounted on the upper table 25 and its shaft is operatively connected to a speed reducing gear unit 37 which, if desired, may be of a conventional variable speed type. The drive motor 36 and the speed reduction unit 37 constitute a ram driving or actuating unit 35 that by means of an output shaft 370 and a drive wheel or disc 38a, actuates a connecting rod or crank 40. The rod or crank 40 is at one end pivotally connected by a drive pin 38a in an eccentric relation on the drive wheel 38 which is feathered or secured for rotation with the output shaft 37a. The other end of the crank rod 40 is pivotally connected by mounting pin 41 to a back end of a reciprocating drive shaft or rod that serves as the tool holder, bit member or part 42. Tool holder or bit 42 is slidably journaled for back and forth or reciprocating movement with respect to the upper table 25 within and to extend endwise forwardly from a pair of upright, spaced-apart, mounting stands 25c and 25d.

As shown in FIG. 6, the tool holder or bit 42 is provided with a threaded, open-end bore 42a to receive a backwardly extending threaded stem portion 45a of the tool G having a suitable head, such as 45 of FIG. 1 or of FIG. 6. In order to lock the tool head 45 or 80 in any desired turned or angular relation, a locking nut 46 is adjustably mounted on the stem 45a for movement into and out of tight engagement with the forward end of the reciprocating bit member 42. The same type of connection may be used for mounting a suitable tool head G on the tool holder 55 of the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3.

The frame 115 of the device B is shown provided with a pair of vertically extending channel-shaped side legs 116, each of which, adjacent its lower end, has a pair of mounting ears or a clevis 16a to receive a downwardly extending leg portion of a thrust absorber unit 18. As shown in FIG. II, the thrust absorber unit l5 has a bottom plate or foot 118:- from which a cross-extending thrust flange 18a projects. As illustrated in FIG. l and also in FIG. 3, the thrust flange 18a is adapted to engage or abut against an inner sidewall ll of a longitudinally extending rail-receiving pit 112 of, for example, a concrete charging floor E. The thrust absorbing unit 118 is pivotally suspended to project or swing downwardly from an associated side clevis or pair of cars 16a of the frame by means of a cross-extending pivot pin 17. This permits the unit 118 to be lifted upwardly out of a cooperating position with floor backup sidewall 111, when, for example, the carriage A is being moved for a considerable distance along its track rails F. A pivoted hook 16b may be employed to engage an eyelet 18b to hold the unit 118 in an upper, out-of-the-way position when it is not in use; the unit 118 may then be released and dropped into an operating position when the ram device B or B is to be operated. The employment of at least a back end positioned thrust absorbing or takeup unit 118 is important to protect the mounting of the frame 15 on the wheeled vehicle or carriage A and to protect its wheel shafts and axles from damage due to fatigue, shock, etc.

In FIGS. l and IA, built-up solidified material or skull D is illustrated as extending across the nose or lip portion of the mouth of furnace vessel C, in a typical adherent overlapping relation thereon. FIG. 1 represents an initial position for first removing a lower half of the skull or solidified material from an open mouth of the vessel. The upper dot and dash line position of the tool G in FIG. IA illustrates a position that may be assumed when the upper half of the mouth is first being cleaned and the full line position of the tool G illustrates a position that may be assumed when the lower half of the mouth is to be thereafter cleaned or serviced. This represents an opposite order of cleaning with respect to that illustrated in FIGS. I and 2.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, except for the tool holders 42 and 55, similar parts have been given the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1, somewhat modified parts have been given prime suffixes, and new or additional parts have been assigned additional numerals. The essential difference between this embodiment and the embodiment previously described and set forth in FIG. l, is that the platform structure of the second embodiment has intermediate table 70 which is pivotally mounted by a downwardly projecting tongue portion 700 within the clevis 22 of the bottom table 2t) by a pivot pin 23 for vertical pivotal movement with respect thereto. The intermediate table 70 has a pair of stabilizing strip members 75 that extend transversely thereacross adjacent its front and back end portions to provide a slide support for rotative movement of upper table 25' thereon.

Upper table 25' of the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 is horizontally rotatably or swingably positioned on and with respect to the intermediate table 70 and thus, with respect to the base table 20, by a vertically extending, headed, pivot pin 73 (see FIG. 3) and a circular or annular, centrally positioned thrust bearing 72. Vertical pivotal movement of the intermediate table 70 is shown accomplished, as indicated by the alternate dot and dash positions of the tool G in FIG. 3. This is accomplished by means of a fluid motor or hydraulic cylinder 65 which, at its upper end, has a lug 66 projecting from its housing and cooperating with pin 66a to pivotally mount it to project downwardly from a clevis 15b that projects downwardly from the angleshaped abutment member 15a.

Piston rod 67 which extends from the other end of the housing of the motor 65, has a flattened tongue end portion 67a that is pivotally mounted within a clevis or bifurcated mount 71. The mount 71 projects upwardly from the intermediate table 70 adjacent its back end.

Actuation of the motor 65 may be accomplished to tilt the back end of the table 70 and thus the table 25' downwardly by pushingin electric switch button a to actuate the solenoid of a fluid valve and supply positive pressure fluid to the upper end of the motor 65. Movement in the opposite direction to tilt the back ends of the tables upwardly is accomplished by pushing-in on electric switch button b to actuate a conventional fluidflow reversing solenoid operated valve to apply positive pressure fluid to the lower end of the motor 65. For positively horizontally swinging the upper table 25' on and with respect to the intermediate table 70 and thus with respect to the base table 20, a second fluid or hydraulic motor 57 of cylindrical type is shown with its housing having a bifurcated or clevis mounting end 58a that is. pivotally secured on a mounting tongue or lug 60. The tongue Ml is shown extending backwardly as an integral part of an upright, angle-shaped stand fill that is secured on the table 25' and that serves as a reinforced backing for a tool driving fluid motor or cylinder 50. Piston rod 58 of the motor 57 is pivotally secured at its extending end to the frame structure 15 by plate 1150 (see FIG. 3).

Electric pushbutton switch d may be employed for actuating a conventional solenoid controlled fluid valve to cause the piston of the fluid motor 57 to move outwardly and thus swing the table 25 in one direction and the tool G in the direction of the arrows g of FIG. 2. Electric pushbutton switch c may be pushed-in to operate an electric solenoid controlled reversing fluid valve to move the piston 55 in a return stroke and thus the table 25 in an opposite direction and the tool G in the direction of arrows h of FIG. 2. Power drive or impact actuating fluid motor is mounted on the upper table 25 to extend endwise thereof by a pair of spaced'apart front and back end brackets 51 and 52. Piston rod 53 of the motor 50 at its forward end has a clevis 53a which is secured by a pivot pin 54 to a flattened back lug end of rodlike bit or tool holder member 55 that is adapted to reciprocate within a bearing stand 25d. Push button switch e is pushed-in to actuate the solenoid of and open a fluid valve to supply fluid (such as hydraulic fluid) under pressure to actuate the fluid motor 50 in its reciprocating movement. In FIG. 2, the upward tilt of the tool G that may be accomplished by the motor is indicated by the arrows i and the lower tilt is indicated by the arrows j. It is thus apparent that the ram device B is very flexible from the standpoint of the operative positioning of the tool G with respect to solidified material or skull D that is to be removed.

FIG. 2A shows a typical, fully encircling encrustation of skull D about a ring or nose flange of an open mouth portion of a vessel C. It indicates that this solidified material which is of a considerable built-up thickness M, tends to fully enclose edges of the nose or mouth portion and its metal reinforcing flange or rings, as well as a portion of the outer metal wall of the vessel and a portion of the refractory lining thereof. Thus, it is important to provide a ram device that can be employed to traverse the full area of the encrustation to locally apply thereto its breaking, peeling, pulling or clawing action to effect a full removal of such material and with a minimum danger of damage to the vessel structure.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various types of tools or tool head elements G may be used, depending upon the particular type of buildup or the particular requirements of a given operation. In FIGS. ll, 2 and t and in the full lines of FIG. 5, one form of tool head 45 is illustrated having a solid circular cross-sectional body and a forwardly declining planar or flat face portion 45a of oval configuration that gives the tool a sharp, convex, knifelike chiseling forward edge to impact-engage with solidified material. This type of head $5 is particularly suitable where the main effort is to be applied by a forward impacting movement of the ram device. In the full lines of F IG. 3 and the dot and dash lines of FIG. 5, a modified form of tool head is shown which has an ofiset, downwardly projecting rake or back-pulling heel portion 45b. This enables the tool to engage loosened or broken material in its back stroke and pull it away from the vessel.

FIGS. 6 to 9, inclusive, illustrate another more complicated fonn of tool head 80 whose solid circular body terminates in a forwardly extending cutting end portion of cruciform shape, as defined by outwardly projecting top and bottom flutes or wings 82 and 83 and opposed side flutes or wings 84 and 85. These wings, as particularly shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, decline or converge towards each other into a somewhat pointed forward end of the tool head and terminate in a cross-extending chisel edge or blade portion 86. Since the wings 81 through 85 project transversely or diametrically outwardly towards their back end portions with respect to the main body, they also provide raking or engaging surfaces during back stroking of the ram device. The forward chisel edge portion 86 provides a centrally aligned, somewhat sharp, splitting or breaking edge that is particularly effective during the forward stroke of the tool. The wings 81 to 85, with their backward-outward inclination, tend to serve as wedge faces to enlarge any break in the material caused by the edge portion 86.

The illustrated types of heads for the tool G have been found to be particularly efl'ective utilizing a ram device of the invention, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various types of tool heads may be used to meet different situations and for different purposes. The forward, convexly curved chisel front edge of the tool 45 and the transverse, straight chisel front edge 86 of the head 80 are also eflective in shearing bolts and for removing worn out refractories within a furnace vessel.

The driving means represented by 50, 57 and 65 of a reciprocating type are preferably hydraulically actuated cylinders. The term fluid motor has been employed to broadly indicate that any suitable reciprocating fluid motor or drive means may be utilized. Such type of means is particularly suitable where the ram or deskulling device is mounted on a hydraulically operated scrap charging carriage or car, such as A, since a device of the invention may then be energized directly from the hydraulic power equipment or system of the charging machine. Where an electrical-mechanical type of charger is used, it is preferable to employ a device such as illustrated in FIG. I which employs electric motor drive means.

As will appear to those skilled in the art, a ram device of the invention is flexible as to its adaptation and usage. For example, a gas-fired burning torch may be positioned or clamped on the tool head 45 of FIG. I to provide flame cutting of the skull around the periphery of the vessel mouth. The flame may be used to undercut heavy skull formation or notch it, to thus effectively cooperate with and supplement the operation of the ram head, point or tip. The bottled gas supply for the torch may be platform-mounted on the charging machine or other carriage A or on the platform of the ram device, itself, and protected by shielding from furnace heat. Gas mixing controls may be mounted on the panel 47 and flexible hoses for the gases may be mounted on or suspended from the tool holder, such as 42 or 55, and from the tool head, such as 45 or 80. Another adaptation of the device would be to slide-mount the base plate on the carriage or machine A, and provide means for also power stroking it in order to, for example, increase the depth of its stroking penetration. A ram device of the invention may be mounted remotely from the vessel area, near a service or maintenance station in the plant, for repair ing and rebricking ladles and other mill equipment that utilizes a tap hole or refractory filled orifice. The ram may be used to clear the tap hole of clay or refractory and to remove skull or clay inclusions. The mounting of the device may be adapted to any particular operation that is to be performed, utilizing a reciprocating or so-called hammer stroking action.

We claim:

1. In an improved and simplified apparatus for deskulling and removing adhering material such as slag from the open mouth of a tiltable metal processing furnace vessel, wherein a pair of track rails extend longitudinally along a side of the vessel and a wheeled scrap car is provided for movement along the track rails for charging the furnace vessel, an improved ram construction comprising, a lower support table integral with and extending transversely along and forwardly from one end of the car, a transversely extending upper table, pivot means mounting said upper table for swingable movement on and with respect to said lower support table, reciprocating motor-driven means carried on said upper table, a tool holder pivotally connected at a back end thereof to said reciprocating means, said tool holder extending endwise-transversely forwardly towards a side of the car that faces the furnace vessel to be deskulled, a pair of spaced-apart guide stands mounted on said upper table positioning said tool holder for reciprocating movement, an impact tool removably carried by said holder and extending endwise-forwardly therefrom to engage within the open mouth portion of the furnace vessel to be deskulled, and motor means operatively connected between said tables for swinging said upper table with respect to said lower support table to change the position of said impact tool with respect to the open mouth of the furnace vessel during a deskulling operation.

2. in a device as defined in claim 1, said motor means being an electric-motor-driven screw jack, and said reciprocating motor-driven means being an electric-motor-driven crank, both said screw jack and said crank being mounted on a back end portion of said upper table.

3. in a device as defined in claim 1, said motor means being a piston-operated reciprocating fluid motor, and said reciprocating means being driven by a fluid motor.

4. In a device as defined in claim 1, an intermediate table, said pivot means vertically swingably positioning said intermediate table on said lower support table for vertical swinging movement with respect thereto, second pivot means mounting said upper table on and with respect to said intermediate table for horizontal swinging movement with respect thereto; and said motor means comprising: motor means operatively positioned on a back end portion of said upper table and connected to said lower support table for swinging said upper table horizontally with respect to and'on said intermediate table, and motor means operatively positioned on a back end portion of said intermediate table and connected to said lower support table for swinging said intermediate and upper tables vertically with respect to said lower support table.

5. in a device as defined in claim 4, said reciprocating motordriven means being mounted on said upper table substantially centrally thereof, and said motor means for swinging said upper table horizontally being operatively connected between a back end of said reciprocating means and the car.

6. In a device as defined in claim 4, each of said motor means being a fluid motor.

7. In a device as defined in claim 1, said tool having a group of sidewise-projecting, peripherally spaced-apart wing portions, and said wing portions extending along said tool from its front end portion and diverging backwardly therefrom to define slag raking-tearing surfaces for back strokes of the reciprocating movement thereof.

8. in a device as defined in claim 7, said tool having a chiselshaped front end portion to impact-engage and break solidified slag material on forward strokes of the reciprocating movement thereof.

9. In a device as defined in claim 1 wherein the pair of track rails extend longitudinally in a floor-recessed relation, thrust absorbing means projecting downwardly from said lower support table adjacent opposite sides of the car for engagement with sidewalls of the floor within the track recesses to minimize stress and strain imparted to the wheeled car during the reciprocating operation of said impact tool.

10. In a device as defined in claim 9, said thrust absorbing means being pivotally carried for movement into and out of downward engagement with the sidewalls of the floor within the track recesses, whereby said thrust absorbing means may be utilized in a downward projecting operative positioning when said impact tool is operating and may be lifted upwardly into an inoperative position when the car is to be moved along the track rails. 

1. In an improved and simplified apparatus for deskulling or removing adhering material such as slag from the open mouth of a tiltable metal processing furnace vessel, wherein a pair of track rails extend longitudinally along a side of the vessel and a wheEled scrap car is provided for movement along the track rails for charging the furnace vessel, an improved ram construction comprising, a lower support table integral with and extending transversely along and forwardly from one end of the car, a transversely extending upper table, pivot means mounting said upper table for swingable movement on and with respect to said lower support table, reciprocating motor-driven means carried on said upper table, a tool holder pivotally connected at a back end thereof to said reciprocating means, said tool holder extending endwise-transversely forwardly towards a side of the car that faces the furnace vessel to be deskulled, a pair of spaced-apart guide stands mounted on said upper table positioning said tool holder for reciprocating movement, an impact tool removably carried by said holder and extending endwise-forwardly therefrom to engage within the open mouth portion of the furnace vessel to be deskulled, and motor means operatively connected between said tables for swinging said upper table with respect to said lower support table to change the position of said impact tool with respect to the open mouth of the furnace vessel during a deskulling operation.
 2. In a device as defined in claim 1, said motor means being an electric-motor-driven screw jack, and said reciprocating motor-driven means being an electric-motor-driven crank, both said screw jack and said crank being mounted on a back end portion of said upper table.
 3. In a device as defined in claim 1, said motor means being a piston-operated reciprocating fluid motor, and said reciprocating means being driven by a fluid motor.
 4. In a device as defined in claim 1, an intermediate table, said pivot means vertically swingably positioning said intermediate table on said lower support table for vertical swinging movement with respect thereto, second pivot means mounting said upper table on and with respect to said intermediate table for horizontal swinging movement with respect thereto; and said motor means comprising: motor means operatively positioned on a back end portion of said upper table and connected to said lower support table for swinging said upper table horizontally with respect to and on said intermediate table, and motor means operatively positioned on a back end portion of said intermediate table and connected to said lower support table for swinging said intermediate and upper tables vertically with respect to said lower support table.
 5. In a device as defined in claim 4, said reciprocating motor-driven means being mounted on said upper table substantially centrally thereof, and said motor means for swinging said upper table horizontally being operatively connected between a back end of said reciprocating means and the car.
 6. In a device as defined in claim 4, each of said motor means being a fluid motor.
 7. In a device as defined in claim 1, said tool having a group of sidewise-projecting, peripherally spaced-apart wing portions, and said wing portions extending along said tool from its front end portion and diverging backwardly therefrom to define slag raking-tearing surfaces for back strokes of the reciprocating movement thereof.
 8. In a device as defined in claim 7, said tool having a chisel-shaped front end portion to impact-engage and break solidified slag material on forward strokes of the reciprocating movement thereof.
 9. In a device as defined in claim 1 wherein the pair of track rails extend longitudinally in a floor-recessed relation, thrust absorbing means projecting downwardly from said lower support table adjacent opposite sides of the car for engagement with sidewalls of the floor within the track recesses to minimize stress and strain imparted to the wheeled car during the reciprocating operation of said impact tool.
 10. In a device as defined in claim 9, said thrust absorbing means being pivotally carried for movement into and out of downward engagement with the sidewalls of the floor within the track recesses, whereby said thrust absorbing means may be utilized in a downward projecting operative positioning when said impact tool is operating and may be lifted upwardly into an inoperative position when the car is to be moved along the track rails. 